It’s bike theft season. Tricks and tips.

Warning: It’s bike theft season. I just watched a guy ride up to the fence where most of the bikes from our building are locked. He scouted the bikes, took cell snaps of the expensive bikes and did a text. This is how a made to order bike theft ring works. When he saw me watching he turned his back and quickly rode away. Nothing works 100% to stop a determined thief but start with good locks. I say locks plural. A couple of summers ago several bikes were stolen from this same fence. Most only had a cable lock or one very cheap u-lock. Thieves are in hurry, the harder you make it to steal, the more likely they will skip your bike. Locks can be expensive but weigh that against the cost of your bike.

PS: One day I looked up to see a guy loading two bikes into the trunk a cab. Just as I realized he did not live here, he jumped in and the cab drove away with 2 stolen bikes dangling from the trunk. Broad daylight. Called a cab.

PS: One day I looked up and saw a strange car parked in one of the tenant designated spaces. The car door was open and I saw a guy working on a bike. It took second to realize that he was stealing the back wheel with an expensive gear system. I banged on the window and grabbed my camera. He ran for the car and they sped away, leaving the bike half-disassembled.

PS: I was out for bike ride. I stopped at a corner store to buy a drink. I u-locked my bike to a pole. I stepped inside placed a drink on the counter and handed the clerk exact change. I stepped outside. My bike was still there but my u-lock was twisted. All the plastic on the stub end was broken. While I was in the store for less than 2 minutes, some one stuck a pipe over my lock and tried to break it. Just dumb luck they didn’t succeed.

From a Facebook friend, Neil Muscott’s post. Facebook makes it so damned difficult to get out of the garden, even to tweet a simple link to something worthwile. Like that would ever happen. But sometimes it does, so London, this is for you.

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